


Revelations of the Faithful Dead

by Paresse



Category: AFK Arena (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Plothole filler
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-13 04:09:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18933109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paresse/pseuds/Paresse
Summary: Desperate times call for desperate measures. As the Hypogean forces bear down on the Graveborn, they turn to means they never considered. And the outcome is more than anticipated.





	Revelations of the Faithful Dead

Dust and death line the walls. A deep pain settles in his bones. Thoran glances back to his small group.

“Stay here. If this goes bad I want none of you caught in it.” 

Grezhul snarls at him, about ready to leapt after his king, but Thoran lifts a lever, and the wall into the crypt shuts hard behind him.

\-----

Niru is surprisingly calm, resting against one of the walls, even as the others fidget and pace. He has an eye on Thoran's life force. He isn't worried. But no matter how he reassures Grezhul, the duty-bound guard always lashes back out at him. 

 

There's a flare of magic. Thoran has raised who he came here to raise. And the group goes deathly still. 

It lasts for what feels like an hour, but Niru is sure it's only a few minutes.

A crack, a groan, and another wall opens. So soon? Niru can't help but think, standing from his place. And sure enough, Thoran emerges from the dust, a short, stocky dwarf man behind him, dressed in the old robes of the ancient army, those who followed Dura herself into battle. No beard, but his hair is braided and kept, his body clearly lovingly embalmed. He is their best bet against the Hypogean forces, and it seems he has come without argument.

Thoran's voice is low, “You will all want to hear what he has to say.”

The dwarf bows his head to the gathered.

Shemira is the first to speak, “You aren't angry? Even slightly that you've been raised?!” Niru reaches to put a hand on her shoulder. She had always been faithful in life and thoughts of faith could send her spiralling. But the priest cuts her off before she can get hysteric.

“And why would I be? The Graveborn are as much Dura's creation as Lightbearers.”

And even Garion's head shoots up to look at the man. Thoran stands off to the side, his face calm and knowing.

“If things have gotten so desperate to raise me, I can only assume Our Lady has perished. Thoran tells me this is so. A shame, it is, that the Graveborn have been driven to hiding, when her death is what we are made for.”

“...what?” Niru's voice is the one that cuts through the tension.

“We are her failsafe. Her contingency plan. She knew the battle against Annih would put her at such high risk. With her death, Birthrates have tanked, haven't they? Stillborns and miscarriages are rampant. Among all factions.”

Shemira's hand covers her mouth.

The priest continues, “Eventually this will overtake the living. And all will perish. Except the Graveborn. Why do you think we are named as such? We are born again, a process as holy as living birth itself in Dura's eyes. Life itself after death. With the living decreasing, the Hypogeans could easily overrun us and douse the world in lifelessness. With the Graveborn still, there remains hope. Dura herself said this. Dura herself taught the first necromancers.”

“We're… we're not…” Shemira wavers, Grezhul is shock still, and Garion's face creases slowly into a scowl.

“No, my dear. Your existence is not some blemish on Our Lady's creation. It just seems that without her, those that are womb-born fear death so much they try to put out those who defeat it, as strange as it is. I'd very much like to know how this came to be.” The dwarf lifts a hand to his chin and rubs at his jaw thoughtfully.

Shemira's knees buckle and she is caught by her husband, who is nearly in as much shock. The dwarf's eyes turn to Niru, “Thoran tells me you are the only true necromancer among your group. I will need you to better rebind me to my body, his magic is meant for disposable soldiers… but it can wait.” The kind man's eyes turn to Shemira, “Take care of her. These tombs are safe for you to rest in.”

Garion's eyes are still wary on the dwarf, and the priest can tell he's not so sure about believing him. But the former mauler strides over to Shemira and Niru instead, kneeling beside Shemira as well to comfort her.

The night ahead is sure to be long


End file.
